Flexible telematics system and method for providing telematics to a vehicle

Abstract

A method for providing telematics to a vehicle includes providing a user-removable telematics component with a GPS device, a data pump, a short range wireless personal area network (e.g., Bluetooth) transceiver, and a user interface. The telematics component connects to an integrated communication device of the vehicle having a transceiver and a memory storing a list including a number of a currently paired mobile communication device. In response to a request for assistance, the user interface receives the request and the data pump receives at least the number. An assistance request is transmitted out from the telematics component utilizing a data pump communications path, the request including the number. An off-site telematics provider receives the request for assistance and a communication link between the off-site telematics provider and the at least one currently paired mobile communication device is opened.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing telematics to a vehicle, which comprises:
 providing a user-removable telematics component with:
 a Global Positioning System (GPS) device; 
 a data pump; 
 a short range wireless personal area network transceiver; and 
 a user interface; 
 
 communicatively connecting the telematics component to an integrated communication device of the vehicle, the integrated communication device having a short range wireless personal area network transceiver and a memory storing a list that includes at least a phone number of at least one currently paired mobile communication device; 
 receiving with the user interface a request for assistance; 
 in response to the request for assistance, receiving at the data pump at least the phone number of the at least one currently paired mobile communication device; 
 transmitting a request for assistance out from the telematics component to an off-site telematics provider utilizing a communications path of the data pump, the request including at least the phone number of the at least one currently paired mobile communication device; 
 and 
 opening a communication link between the off-site telematics provider and the at least one currently paired mobile communication device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is at least one of a single-actuation emergency button, a double action emergency button, a single-actuation roadside button, a double action roadside button, a voice recognition activation, and an automated airbag detection. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of opening the communication link is carried out by dialing the phone number of the at least one currently paired mobile communication device. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication link is at least one of a data-only communications link and a voice communications link. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications path of the data pump is a communications path from the data pump to the integrated communication device of the vehicle and from the integrated communication device of the vehicle through the at least one currently paired mobile communication device. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications path of the data pump is a communications path from the data pump, through the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the telematics component, and through the at least one currently paired mobile communication device. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications path of the data pump is a communications path from the data pump, through the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the telematics component, through the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the integrated communication device, and through the at least one currently paired mobile communication device. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communications path of the data pump is a communications path between the data pump and the off-site telematics provider. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step is carried out by transmitting the request for assistance out from the telematics component utilizing a communications path from the data pump to the integrated communication device of the vehicle and from the integrated communication device of the vehicle through the at least one currently paired mobile communication device to the off-site telematics provider. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step is carried out by transmitting the request for assistance out from the telematics component utilizing a communications path from the data pump through the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the telematics component and the at least one currently paired mobile communication device to the off-site telematics provider. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step is carried out by transmitting the request for assistance out from the telematics component utilizing a communications path from the data pump, through the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the telematics component, through the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the integrated communication device, and through the at least one currently paired mobile communication device to the off-site telematics provider. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting step is carried out by transmitting the request for assistance out from the telematics component utilizing a direct communications path between the data pump and the off-site telematics provider. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the short range wireless personal area network transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the short range wireless personal area network transceiver of the integrated communication device is a Bluetooth transceiver.